Northwest NEWS

December 13, 1999

Bothell police investigate stolen mail

On Dec. 8 at about 7 a.m., Bothell officers responded to the 19200 block of 128th Place NE in Bothell where two men were observed taking mail from mailboxes. The two men fled from scene in a blue Ford 4-door as police arrived.

The police later found the vehicle abandonded five blocks away containing a large amount of mail. It was later determined that the mail had been stolen from Bothell-area mailboxes involving over 200 victims, mostly in the Holly Hills neighborhood. Two local men were later arrested in connection with the mail thefts.

After locating the vehicle, officers conducted an area search for the two men, with the assistance of a King County K-9 unit, but were unsuccessful. The vehicle was impounded by police officers and later searched by investigators with the United States Postal Inspection Service.

The vehicle was found to be registered to an 18-year-old Bothell man, who had confessed to police after his arrest. The second suspect was identified as a 19-year-old Woodinville man, who had also confessed to the thefts. Both men were released on their own recognizance pending further investigation.

This case is currently being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service in Seattle.

The Postal Inspection Service offers rewards up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons stealing or possessing stolen mail. Citizens are also encouraged to call the Inspection Service's 24-hour Mail Theft Hotline at 1-800-773-7226 to report criminal activity concering mail theft.

The Bothell Police advises that mail theft, and the resulting compromise of personal financial information contained in those letters, can be reduced by taking the following prevention measures:

Do not place letters containing bill payment in unsecured mailboxes for letter carrier pick-up.

Deposit your valuable mail in a blue street collection box or at the post office.

Promptly remove incoming mail from your mailbox. Do not let it accumulate and become an easy target for theft or vandalism.

Media inquiries should be directed to Public Information Officer Elmer Brown, of the Bothell Police Department, at 425-487-5505.